Their names were Gaspar/Caspar, Melchior and Baltthasar/Balthazar. It is assumed that there were three because of the three gifts that they took to give the baby Jesus. Gold, incense and myrrh Mathew 2:11. (An interesting combination of gifts, they were to give to this child. I heard a message from a pastor on a tv program just yesterday, about why these gifts might have been given. Maybe I can try to find more about it and share it with you later this month.) Anyway, it has been believed that there were only three kings that visited Jesus and his parents, but the Bible really does not say one way or another.
It is also been said, that the three wise men had visited Jesus in the barn the night of his birth. However, Mathew 2:11 also says that when they visited him, it was not in a barn, but a house that they went into and there they fell down and worshiped him and opened their treasures and offered them to him.
They had come hundreds of miles from the east to find him. Probably from Persia or modern day Iran. (interesting huh, with all that goes on in that country yet today). They were directed by what they called "his star" (Mathew 2:2), the "Star of Bethlehem."
Herod had told them that when they found the child, they were to tell him where he was, so that he could worship him too. However, Herod did not want to worship Jesus. He believed that Jesus meant to overthrow Herod's own government and he could not let that happen. And so, his evil plan was to kill the Christ child but God had other plans. He warned them not to go back to Herod, and so they left Judea and went another route.
Herod's plan had been thwarted by the Almighty whose plans were not to be interrupted by the likes of an evil king or even the devil himself. The baby Jesus would grow up to accomplish what his Father sent him to do. He died on the cross for your sins and mine, and rose from the grave that was meant to hold him. But praise our God, it couldn't and because the wise men-however many there were-obeyed God and disobeyed Herod, the baby Jesus grew up to become a Savior to you and me.
We don't have to be wise. We don't have to be kings. We don't have to be rich, famous or special. All we have to do is seek him, and that makes us wise as those men that traveled hundreds of miles to worship God's Son.
Tips for a stress free Christmas
Enlist the help of your family and don't try to "do it all' yourself. Make things fun. For Thanksgiving this year, my 12 year old granddaughter helped by making each one a name sign and put them where each person would sit. I made sure she knew I had noticed as well and told her how pretty they were. She was happy that I took the time to recognize her work.
Hello Friends. Well, Christmas morning will soon be here. I pray that you are getting to that time as stress free as possible. God bless!
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